Sunday Soup: Curried Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes and Kale

OK, so in deciding what to make, I looked at our week ahead. I knew we'd be getting home late from a cross-country meet at tennis lesson on Tuesday, so I wanted something I could have ready / that would heat up in a few minutes, that was healthy and protein-packed, and that my kids would enjoy. Both of my kids like lentil soup, so I decided to use a carton of the Vegetarian Pho Soup Starter to make a thick, comforting Curried Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes and Kale. A big fan of meals where I can throw everything in a pot and let them do their thing, that's what I decided to do... and it worked perfectly. Since I knew this recipe was one that could be made ahead and frozen, I decided to make a 6-8 serving recipe, so we'd have some left over to tuck in the freezer.  First I brought the 4 cups of Vegetarian Pho Soup Starter + 2 cups of Pacific Vegetable Broth to a boil.
and then the diced carrots, onions and celery to the pot.
Next, I added frozen chopped butternut squash (b/c I had some on hand, but you could also use fresh butternut squash). And 1 cup of sweet potatoes, which I had peeled and chopped. 
Then the zest of one lemon,
and four frozen cubes of minced cilantro and 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder. Then I lowered the heat to a simmer, covered the pot, and let it do its thing for 25 minutes while I enjoyed a glass of wine.After 25 minutes, I checked to make sure the sweet potatoes and squash were fork tender. Then, I turned the heat off, added the chopped kale, popped the lid back on, and just let the greens wilt a bit-- about 5 minutes. Then it was ready to serve-- or to package up for busy weeknights ahead, as the case may be!Tuesday update: my kids LOVED this soup-- we all did. I made the soup on Sunday and tucked part of it in the freezer, and part of it in the fridge for when we rolled in right at dinnertime tonight. I served it over quinoa and it was a perfect, hearty, healthy meal after an active day! New favorite for the Fall and Winter seasons!!

Curried Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes and Kale1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (or 4 cubes frozen minced cilantro)In a soup pot, or Dutch oven, bring the four cups Pacific Vegetarian Pho soup base and two cups of vegetable broth up to a boil. Add the lentils, onion, celery, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, lemon zest, cilantro and curry powder to the pot. Stir. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until squash and sweet potatoes are fork tender. Turn the burner off, add the chopped kale, and cover pot for 5 more minutes so the green wilt, but do not become soggy. Serve soup warm with an optional dollop of Greek yogurt. Soup will keep in fridge for a few days, or will freeze well for up to 3 months.*This recipe was delicious with a combination of both butternut squash and sweet potatoes, but you could also make it with just one or the other. Whichever you'd prefer, and whichever is easier based upon what you have on hand!

I packed half the batch up in these freezer containers, and packed half the batch up in the fridge... ready for busy weeknights ahead!

Disclosures: the links to my favorite tubs for freezing soups within this post are amazon affiliate links. The pricing is exactly the same for you, but I earn a small commission when you purchase products via these links. {Thank you for helping to support recipe testing on the Full Plate Blog!} Also, as a food blogger, I was sent four cartons of Pacific Soup Starters to try. I was not compensated in any other way for developing this recipe, and purchased the rest of the ingredients myself. Rest assured that-- as always-- I only share recipes my family truly enjoys, and that are keepers!

Sunday Soup: Spicy Farro, Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

Before heading to the market, I tasted the Tortilla Soup Base variety of Pacific Soup Starters. It has a serious spicy kick! Knowing that, I decided to make a flavorful stew that ran with the spiciness {knowing full well that it might be too spicy for my children}.
You all know that I like to toss everything in a pot and let it do its thing, right? Well, this recipe is another one of those easy ones. I chopped everything,
then sauteed the chorizo, onions, celery and carrots in a bit of olive oil, just until the onions were starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
Then I added 1 cup of farro, which is hearty and holds up well in soups. {I was making a big batch. And due to the spiciness, I had a feeling I was going to be freezing some of this one, so I wanted to make sure it would freeze well.}
Next I added the 32 oz carton of Tortilla Soup Starter (4 cups) and 2 cups of veggie broth to the pot. I used regular veggie broth because I wanted to cut the spiciness a bit-- even for us! But if you like spicy, then the flavor of the Tortilla Soup Starter is wonderful. You could just open another carton of that and use 2 more cups.
I brought the pot to a boil, then lowered the heat to a simmer, covered the pot, and let the farro cook for about 15-20 minutes, until tender.
Once the farro was tender, I added 2 rinsed and drained cans of chickpeas, and 2 cups of chopped kale to the pot,
and let that simmer another 5 minutes, until the greens were wilted and the flavors blended.
This soup was amazing!! So, so good. All of the different textures of the sausage, chickpeas and farro make it a true hearty, one-dish meal.
And because I guessed right that it might be too spicy for my kids, I simply packaged the rest of the soup into freezer-proof tubs. This soup will freeze beautifully, and will be a welcome warm parent dinner after a day of running around!! Spicy Farro, Chickpea and Chorizo Stew
2 Tablespoons olive oil
10 oz chorizo*, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
32 oz. Pacific Organic Tortilla Soup Base (4 cups)
2 cups Pacific Vegetable Broth
1 cup farro
two 15 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups kale, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Saute the chorizo, onions, carrots and celery in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to soften. Add the farro, soup starter and broth and bring to a boil. Then lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the farro softens. Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas and kale. Stir. Heat for another 5 minutes, or until kale begins to wilt. Serve warm. Can be stored in the fridge for up to three days, or frozen for up to three months. 

*You can use any sausage of your choice. If you wanted to make the soup less spicy, you could use a mild chicken sausage.

Disclosures: the links to my favorite tubs for freezing soups within this post are amazon affiliate links. The pricing is exactly the same for you, but I earn a small commission when you purchase products via these links. {Thank you for helping to support recipe testing on the Full Plate Blog!} Also, as a food blogger, I was sent four cartons of Pacific Soup Starters to try. I was not compensated in any other way for developing this recipe, and purchased the rest of the ingredients myself. Rest assured that-- as always-- I only share recipes my family truly enjoys, and that are keepers!